There weren't many positive images of people of colour for me to look up to as a young black girl growing up in Birmingham during the 1960's and 1970's. So I totally understand where Jon Daniels Is coming from in his personal exhibition 'Afro Supa Hero' now showing at Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood until February 2014. A journey from childhood to adulthood.
I felt like a 10 year old me as I walked around - Ah man! Remember the Harlem Globetrotters they were so cool! The Jackdon 5? - wow!, their moves and outfits were so bostin (brum speak for fantastic). Uhuru! I wanted to be her! Imagine! a beautiful black woman, playing a main character in a TV programme.....
The exhibition has so many main players in the black real world and in the fictional world represented in action figures/ comics/games/ posters. From the political world we see Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther king and Malcolm X, from Hollywood Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars), Storm (X-men), from television Mr T, Huggy Bear and Dobey from Starsky & Hutch, the fabulous Lieutenant Uhuru to name but a few.
Music and art are represented too with figures of Music producer Lee Scratch and artist John Basquiat also this poster of P-Funk .....
As I was feeling like a child, I couldn't resist poking my head through the Supa Hero figure stand. A fellow museum goer kindly took my photo ( he actually took about 20 because he held his finger on the button he he!) I need a super hero name how about Supa Sister? Sounds too much like an over enthusiastic nun! Or .....Or with my hair now half grey half black I think I'll call myself salt n pepper or the badger. My super power? Would be to turn wrong doers into soft toy characters - ha ha!
I'll be popping back soon to have another look at the show and check out the other exhibitions, my studio is very near to the museum.....
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone